Laughter is the Best Medicine
Of course, we’ve all heard that old saying and we all know how good it feels to enjoy a good belly laugh. But would it surprise you to learn that the scientific research on laughter is proving it to be true? That’s right; studies have shown that laughter has a profound positive impact on both our physical and mental well-being. The benefits range from reducing anxiety and stress, to oxygenating our blood and organs, to improving circulation and releasing endorphins. Laughter also lifts our mood, reduces blood pressure and strengthens our immune systems. Western science is just beginning to discover the
many positive effects of laughter. read more>>

Oprah Winfrey on Laughter Yoga

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Laughter Yoga on Oprah

"Laughter Yoga combines laughter with yogic breathing exercises. It is a perfect way to laugh and get exercise at the same time. It approaches laughter as a body exercise so it's easy to laugh even if you're depressed or in a bad mood. Last year I highlighted Laughter Yoga on my TV program. I've tried it, and it works."

-Oprah Winfrey
"The Courier Mail" (Australia - 1/14/08)

What's Happening with Laughter?

Because laughter makes us feel great and is so good for us, we would expect people to be laughing all the time. Sadly, the research shows just the opposite to be true. In the 1950’s adults laughed an average of about twenty minutes per day. Now, it’s down to five minutes or less in most countries. Children laugh an average of three to four hundred times per day, while adults laugh an average of seventeen times per day!

A Good Thing for All of Us…

Unlike sense of humor, which is individual and subjective, laughter is a universal inborn ability. Anyone can choose to laugh anytime, anywhere, and for no particular reason. The great news is that the body doesn’t know the difference between “real” laughter and simulated laughter, so you receive all the health and mood lifting benefits either way! read more>>

What is Laughter Yoga? Laughter Yoga was born in 1995 in a flash of inspiration. Dr. Madan Kataria, a physician practicing in Mumbai, India, was writing a paper for a medical journal titled “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. As he became convinced of the medical benefits of both laughter and yogic breathing exercises he began to search his mind for a way to bring these benefits to the world. He didn’t think he could just “prescribe twenty minutes of laughter a day” and knew that for the most beneficial effect, a variety of different types of laughter would be needed. Read more to understand the Laughter Yoga phenomenon>>

Then, in the middle of the night, the idea came to the doctor that he could start a laughter club! The next morning Dr. Kataria, his wife Madhuri, and three of their friends held the first Laughter Yoga session in a large Mumbai park. Now Laughter Yoga is practiced daily in over 65 countries! There are over six-thousand laughter clubs around the world with new ones opening daily. Thanks to Dr. Kataria’s inspiration and dedication, countless people all over the world enjoy the benefits of a daily “dose” of laughter by practicing Laughter Yoga in laughter clubs or in the workplace. view videos>>